Gino Morrelli and Pete Melvin designed Cheyenne, known earlier as PlayStation (and sponsored in part by Sony), back in the ’90s in Newport Beach, Ca. When the catamaran’s hulls were lengthened, along with the mast and boom, in 2000, the work took place in the United Kingdom under the supervision of a New Zealand naval architect.

The boat’s specifications are still posted online, as part of a website that celebrates the accomplishments of the late Steve Fossett.

The adventurer, who died in a 2007 when his aircraft crashed in the Sierras, had her built to earn world records, and she did – for a time. In 2001, Cheyenne crossed the Atlantic in four days and 17 hours with an average speed of 27.8 knots. And in 2004, she circumnavigated the globe in 58 days and 9 hours at an average speed of 15-18 knots. (The website gives two different figures.)

If the next America’s Cup (the 34th such contest) does come to the Bay Area, Cheyenne could become part of a tribute to Bay Area boats and sailors…

Stay tuned for word on how Cheyenne got to Nelson’s and what the Alameda Point boatyard has planned for her. And feel free to share any knowledge on how Cheyenne got to the Bay Area and how she got her current name.